Let Your Hair Down
by HoldingOut4NextSeason
Summary: Ladybug and Chat Noir meet to discuss Hawkmoth and what seemed to be a feather relating to the Peacock. Their conversation leads to transformations affecting the hairstyles of Miraculous wielders.


"Chat we've been over this. We can't reveal our identities to anyone, not even each other."

Ladybug turned away from her partner to look out towards the city of Paris from their perch on the Eiffel Tower. The feint sounds of traffic and people could be heard from below.

"What about Carapace and Rena Rouge? They clearly know who each other are; and you know who _they_ are. What if we already know each other outside the Masks too? We coul—"

Before he could finish his thought Ladybug whirled around with her arms stretched out. "And look where that got them Chat! They were SO focused on protecting each other that Rena jumped in front of Carapace to take the hit and when she finally succumbed to the Akuma he was so upset, probably blaming himself, that he was akumatized almost instantly AND without the help of one of Dark Cupid's arrows! It's too dangerous Chat."

Pacing back and forth along the platform Ladybug was very expressive with her hand movements. She was normally very calm and collected but tonight was different. Chat couldn't figure out what had her so worked up... so animated. Perhaps it was the emergence of the Peacock Miraculous during their last battle with Hawkmoth. They were both worried. Unsure about what it could mean. That was the whole reason they met back up on the tower tonight. They were supposed to be discussing Hawkmoth and the Peacock. When did they get so off topic?

"I already do my best to protect you M'Lady" he said while slowly approaching her. "That's no different from Rena and Carapace wanting to protect each other. I have always stuck my neck out for you; and you for me."

She swallowed, her throat feeling tight.

"But it IS different Chat. They're not supposed to know each other's identities, it's my fault that they do. What if Hawkmoth akumatizes one of them again and the other becomes a target?"

"Agai—"

"Chat, you only know me as Ladybug. You trust that I can handle myself when we need to split up and fight Akumas."

"Well of course I do."

"Right now, to you and all of Paris, I'm this invincible super hero" she said gesturing to herself. "If you knew who I was under the mask you wouldn't see Ladybug anymore, you would just see ME. You're faith in my abilities as Ladybug would plummet and—"

"Now just hold on there!"

The tip of his leather belt of a tail twitched behind him, his ears were pressed back against his head.

"You don't know that! Don't just assume that I would see you differently just because I don't know your name and face!"

Chat Noir closed his eyes and took a slow and deep breath. He looked away towards the ground. Then out towards the city lights. He'd looked at anything to keep himself from looking at her stunned face. His own expression faded from anger and his voice turned into one that sounded pained.

"Ladybug, even though you don't trust me enough to know about these other Miraculous secrets... I still trust you with my life... and knowing who you are will never change that. You are still you, spots or no spots."

Ladybug felt a pang of guilt towards her friend. She didn't intend for him to ever feel that way. But she couldn't help thinking to herself about how plain and clumsy she was when she wasn't Ladybug. Now wasn't the time for self deprecation though. Placing both of her hands on his shoulders caused Chat's focus to jerk back to her eyes.

"Chat I DO trust you with these things but they're just not my secrets to keep. If you needed to get a Miraculous from Master Fu I wouldn't know who you would give it to and I wouldn't ask because I trust your judgment and the identity of the other wielders should be a secret just as much as our own. The less anyone knows about any of us the better. Not just for our own safety but our family and friends too. Just today Hawkmoth akumatized Queen Bee's family just to get to her."

Her words rung true. Chloé was doing great today until her parents and Jean showed up re-akumatized. She was caught off guard and Hawkmoth took full advantage of it.

Chat breathed a heavy sigh and looked at her fondly. She was right. Despite how much he yearned to know her, all of her, now was not the time.

"You're right. I'm sorry LB."

He straightened as he felt her arms slide from his shoulders to his back, bringing him into a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry too Chaton." And she really was. Her friendship with Chat rivaled that of Alya's. She really wished to know him too, despite her insecurities.

"Some day..." she quietly continued, "when we aren't depended on so much... when it's safer..."

"Only if you want to bug" Chat Noir whispered as he returned the embrace.

* * *

The two heroes found themselves sitting next to each other with their legs dangling over the ledge. They had finished discussing their thoughts and concerns about Hawkmoth and his new ally but neither of them were ready to go home just yet. The air had chilled as the night went on. The comfortable silence was broken by Chat Noir thinking aloud.

"It would be pretty cool though."

"What would be?"

"If we already knew each other in our civilian lives. Can you imagine? What if we have met and just didn't recognize each other? I think that would be pretty funny."

With a grin Ladybug ruffled Chats hair with her hand. "I'm pretty sure I'd recognize this mess of hair anywhere if I knew you outside of the mask."

Chat looked at her with a perplexed expression, "My hair doesn't look like this when I'm not Chat Noir... Why would you think that?"

She suddenly felt nervous and lifted her hand from his head, but she didn't fully pull it away.

"It-it doesn't?"

Chat shook his head. Not once did hid eyes leave hers.

"No, it changes every time I transform. Doesn't yours?"

Feeling unsure, Ladybug lowered her hand and lightly touched one of her pigtails "...No?"

"Really? So you normally style your hair like that?" Chat said with a tilt of his head.

"Yeah..." she began to twirl her finger in her hair as she pondered. "It must only be _your_ transformation that alters your hair."

Chat Noir leaned back, shifting his weight onto his elbows and looked towards the few stars that could be seen in the Parisian sky.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure Rena Rouge's hair isn't normally half white; and we all know Queen Bee's hair doesn't normally have that black swirl-thing going on" he said as he twirled his own finger in the air.

Ladybug mentally compared Alya's normal hair brown and red hair to that of Rena's red and white hair. Aside from the coloring her hair was even put into a ponytail during her transformation. While Chloé's hair was already tied up the black coloring that came with her transformation was unmistakable. She leaned back, mimicking Chat Noir's posture while lightly kicking her dangling legs. "That's true... and Carapace's hair is normally pretty short so even without the hood it can't possibly change too much."

Ladybug than began thinking about Nino's hair under his red cap and then Carapace's hood. Does his hair change with his transformation too? How could it with it being so short? Does it turn green maybe? Ayla's and Chloé's hair changes in color. But her own hair doesn't change color... Does Chat's? Is Chat Noir even blonde?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Chat Noir quickly sitting back up. His brow bunched in deep thought. "Maybe... maybe yours can't change because it's all tied up in the pigtails!"

 **OF COURSE!**

She sat up just as fast.

"Oh! Maybe your right!" Ladybug began to pull out her ribbons and let her hair fall down onto her shoulders. The two heroes sat there on the rooftop staring at her loose hair.

Waiting.

And waiting.

Waiting for something, anything to happen. Were either of them even breathing? The silence was eventually broken by Chat Noir coming up with a new theory to the mystery.

"Ah! _Maybe_ it only changes _during_ the transformation! Quick! De-transform and then change back!"

Fueled by her partner's excitement and her own curiosity about what her hair would look like if it was allowed to transform with her, Ladybug literally jumped at the idea.

"Your right! That must be—"

Ladybug's own exhilaration dimmed as her thoughts caught up with her. Just as Chat's smile merged into a Cheshire grin hers set into a hard line. With a glare and firm press of her foot onto his shoulder Chat erupted with laughter soon followed by her own.

"I can't believe you almost got me with that!"

Chuckling while receiving light stomps from his partner, "I swear M'Lady! I wouldn't have looked! Hahaha"

"I'm on to you alley cat!"

He wiped a tear from his eye and placed a hand on his chest. "Cat's honor."

"Mmhmm" she hummed teasingly. "Well, I think it's about time I get to bed" she said as she reached for her yo-yo.

Chat Noir's ears flattened as he looked back towards Paris and thought about going home. He didn't like being in such a big place all alone. He mostly stayed in his room. At least in his room he could be with Plagg.

"Yeah... me too"

He stood up but when he turned around to face Ladybug he was back to his usual perky self.

"You okay Chat?"

"I'm fine! It was nice to spend time with you without fighting an Akuma at the same time."

She smiled. "Yeah, it was. Goodnight Chat."

After a few twirls of her yo-yo Ladybug shot it into the distance until it caught on a rooftop and swung away. Chat watched her for a short time. That is until he remembered that doing so might be an invasion of privacy in the matter of identities and looked away towards his own home.

* * *

"Do you think my hair would change if I left it down Tikki?" Marinette asked her Kwami as she looked at herself in her full-length mirror while tugging at her pink pajama shirt.

Tikki sat on Marinette's desk with a pink macaroon the size of her head. There was a pause in her response, swallowing the mouthful of cookie in her mouth. " I don't really know Marinette. Each Miraculous and user are different; but I don't see why not!"

"I wonder if it would be a ponytail like Rena Rouge and Queen Bee..." she questioned as she held her hair back in the form of a ponytail with one had while the other was on her hip. Marinette turned from side to side, trying to imagine herself as Ladybug. "Or perhaps a bun?" She rolled it up and continued admiring her reflection.

"Or loose and wild!" Tikki chimed in before starting another macaroon.

Now that's an image. Marinette dropped her hair and stared in thought. She looked at the ground and then shook her head hard and fast. Even though her eyes were closed she felt dizzy when she opened them. She looked into the mirror and stared back at herself hidden within a messy mane. She'd make a pretty good Chat Noir looking like this. She wonder what his take on this sort of style would be. She looked over to Tikki and they locked eyes before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Are you ready Tikki?"

"Yep!" she said as she floated over to Marinette and the mirror.

"Are you sure that you are okay to do this right now?" Marinette asked as Tikki landed in the palm of her hand.

"I'm sure Marinette, don't worry. You won't be fighting an Akuma and we will be going to bed right after we check. I really want to know too ya know!"

"Okay then!" she closed her eyes and out of caution she whispered "Tikki, spots on!"

Marinette felt them warmth of her Miraculous wash over her. She stood in front of the mirror with her eyes still closed. Buzzing with excitement she slowly opened her eyes.

"Aw come ON!"

Before her, in the mirror, was Ladybug. Good ole normal Ladybug. Pigtails and all.

* * *

Auth Note: First ever Fanfict. I'm not a writer. I have just had this idea floating around in my head since the end of season two and had to get it down on paper. Then it just kinda turned into all of this. Oops


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